Hi everyone, my name is Ben, and I will be running a marathon in September in the hope of raising money for a cause very close to my heart - the burnt chef project. Now more than ever, there is a real focus on the importance of mental health in all aspects of life, not least in the workplace. People are waking up to the fact that mental health is just as important as physical health, and much like the physical side, the mental side needs to be kept in good shape for us to get the best out of it. Like many people working in hospitality, I found myself in a dark place and had no idea how to deal with it. Out of denial and shame, I suppressed my feelings, which manifested in bad ways. I often turned to drinking after work to be able to sleep and would engage in all manner of self-destructive behaviours on my days off. In my case, it wasn't the job that had created the issues, but we all know the environment can be a perfect storm for mental health problems, and I, like the majority, kept all these feelings to myself. Luckily with help, I overcame these challenges, but sadly people are not always so lucky. The burnt chef project is helping to de-stigmatise conversations surrounding mental health, which I feel is a massive step in the right direction. They are fully committed to making the hospitality profession healthier and more sustainable by focussing on people's wellbeing first. All money raised will go towards keeping their free-to-access services available for the hospitality industry to help create a healthier, happier, more sustainable workplace. I am by no stretch of the imagination an athlete; just over a year ago, I couldn't run for more than 2 minutes without having to stop! I am currently ten weeks into a 20-week training plan and look forward to sharing my progress on social media. Needless to say, I am not aiming for a specific time, just being able to finish without stopping ! Any donations will be massivly appreciated, and even if you can't manage it right now, I would be grateful if you could share this page with everyone you know! Thanks so much for taking the time to read this, and I will be updating my progress regularly. Thanks again, Ben .